Resilient wheel.



G. A. SPAETH.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1a, 1908.

959,176. Patented May 24, 1910.

@mzfamvfcimezflw GUSTAVE A. SPAE'IH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1910.

Application filed November 18, 1808. Serial No. 483,168.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAvn A. SPAETI-I, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ResilientWheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of resilient wheels of thatclass which are adapted for use as ground wheels on vehicles of variouskinds and particularly adapted for use in connection with automobiles.

The objects of my invention are to provide an improved construction ofresilient wheel of this class by means of which the jar, jolt orvibration incident to the running of the wheels over rough surfaces, istaken up by the wheels without being transmitted to the vehicle body,thereby obviating the necessity of using inflated tires on the rims ofthe wheels. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an outer side elevation of aportion of an automobile rear wheel, Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection on line w-w of Fig. 1, Fig. 8 is a similar sectional viewshowing the slightly modified construction employed in the front wheelsof the automobile, and Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the hub portionof a wheel, with the outer plate removed.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a hub member 1 which comprises adisk having an outwardly projecting marginal flange 1 said disk or platehaving a central opening 2. Vith the periphery of the hub member 1 orwith its flange 1 are suitably connected the inner ends of radiallyarranged spokes 8, these spokes having their outer ends connected with asuitable form of rim or felly 1, which may be encircled by a desirableconstruction of tire 5. As indicated in the drawing, the inner surfaceof the flange 1 of the hub member 1, is so shaped as to impart thereto,a hexagonal form of hub recess, this effect being produced by theformation of a plurality of straight surfaces which meet at obtuseangles.

6 represents a detachable hub plate which is adapted to cover saidhexagonal recess by being bolted to the flange 1 of the hub member 1.

7 represents the rear axle of the vehicle,

each end of which has formed therewith a head or flanged enlargement 8,said head having its outer surface formed to produce a hexagonaloutline, as shown. As indicated in the drawing, the outer end portionsof the axle 7 pass loosely through the hub member openings 2, and thehexagonal heads 8 are housed within the members 1 and on the inner sidesof the plates 6. Between each recessed surface 8 of the head 8 and thecorresponding surface of the inner face of the hub flange 1, I provide aspring 9 each of said springs consisting, as shown, of a bowed springstrip.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown my invention as applied to thefront wheel of an automobile. In this figure, 1O represents a spindle ofthe front axle, Which is provided with the usual terminal threaded screw10 Upon this spindle is mounted rotatably a sleeve 11 which has formedtherewith an enlargement or head 12. The sleeve 11 passes looselythrough the opening 6 of the hub member 1 and extends through a similaropening 6 in the outer plate mem ber 6 which as prescribed for the plate6 is secured to the hub flange l The enlargement of head 12 which is ofhexagonal form and corresponds with the head 8 heretofore described, isembraced, as shown, between the walls of the plate 6 and hub member 1,and between the inner bearing faces of the hub member, and between thebearing faces of the head 12 are interposed the springs 9 as prescribedfor the rear wheel. Upon the outer threaded termination of the spindleis secured the usual or any well known form of retaining nut 13.

With the construction which I have described in connection with the rearwheel, it will be understood that the plurality of spring connectionsbetween the hub and the head members, will offer such resistance toweight of the vehicle body and to jolts or jars contributed to thewheels as to cushion the vehicle body against the result of shocks ofthe character mentioned. Although in the front wheel construction, thewheel rotates upon the axle spindle, it is'obvious that the springs willlikewise absorb the effect of jars or jolts.

Owing to the arrangement of the springs adjacent to each other and atobtuse angles with each other, it will readily be understood that at anypoint in the rotation of the wheel, a spring bearing will be effected,

which bearing may be wholly upon one of said springs or distributedbetween two adjacent springsJ What I claim, is

In a device of the character described, the combination with an axlehaving an angular enlargement, of a hub having an angular recess withinwhich said enlargement lies, the inner wall of said recess being spacedfrom the outer wall of the axle enlargement and parallel therewith, andbowed springs disposed between the outer wall of the axle enlargementand the inner wall of the angular recess, there being a plurality ofconcavities formed in the face of the angular enlargement of the axle,said concavities receiving the bowed portions of the springs and bothends of said springs freely and slidably engaging the inner wall of theangular recess of the wheel hub.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAVE A. SPAETH. Witnesses:

L. CARL STOUGHTON, A. L. PHELPS.

